Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Insurance: A Complete Guide (2025)

Personal injury protection (PIP) insurance covers medical expenses after an accident, no matter who was at fault. While required in 15 states, PIP insurance can save you thousands of dollars in medical costs and covers you while you’re healing, making it an invaluable part of a full coverage car insurance policy.

However, PIP car insurance is not available in every state. Read on to learn more about personal injury protection coverage, including how much it might cost and if you really need it. Then, compare PIP insurance quotes to find the best price possible.

How Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Insurance Works

Personal injury protection (PIP) insurance covers your health care expenses after an accident, no matter who was at fault. PIP car insurance not only protects the policyholder but also any passengers you have in the car with you. PIP insurance often covers you when you’re a passenger in someone else’s vehicle.

Like other types of car insurance coverage, PIP auto insurance has limits. Health insurance usually takes over if your medical bills exceed the per-person limit of your personal injury protection coverage.

Also called no-fault insurance, Personal injury protection car insurance is included in state car insurance requirements in 15 states. PIP insurance is not offered in every state – you can purchase MedPay insurance if PIP is not available in your state.

What Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Insurance Covers

Wondering what happens if you’re injured by a driver without adequate coverage? Or if you can get reimbursed for lost wages after an accident? Personal injury protection car insurance has you covered.

Examples of PIP coverage include the following:

• Hospitalization costs
• Medical procedures like operations or surgeries
• Ambulance rides
• Physical therapy
• Personal care expenses like landscaping, house cleaning, and childcare
• Lost wages
• Funeral costs and death benefits

As mentioned, everyone in your car is covered up to your PIP limits. Aside from your personal injury protection insurance limits, coverage can vary between companies and states. If you’re unsure of what your policy covers, an insurance representative can help.

Comparing PIP Insurance vs. MedPay

Looking for possible alternatives to PIP insurance? Your first option is Medical Payments (MedPay) insurance, though not every state offers it. To compare PIP vs. MedPay, check the details below.

Key Differences Between Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Medical Payments (MedPay)

As you can see, a key difference between the two is that personal injury protection state requirements exist, while MedPay is not required in any state. Insurance representatives will understand your state’s necessary personal injury protection minimums, so you won’t have to worry about buying the right amount.

Comparing PIP Insurance vs. Liability Insurance

Although they often cover the same expenses, PIP and liability insurance are very different. Check below to get an idea of what each covers.

Key Differences Personal Injury Protection (PIP) vs. Liability Insurance

Liability insurance is required in nearly every state so at-fault drivers can reasonably cover injuries and damage they cause. It’s meant to protect people who did not cause an accident and the policyholder from expensive bills.

Understanding the Limits of PIP Insurance Coverage

When you need to use your PIP insurance, you’ll go through a process similar to how to file a car insurance claim of any other type. However, it’s important to understand your policy limits before you file your claim.

Most companies have a per-person limit for your PIP insurance, commonly capped at $10,000. If you’re in an accident, your PIP will cover up to $10,000 for medical expenses for each person in your car. After you hit that limit, other insurance types will need to cover the rest.

If your state requires PIP insurance, you must meet those minimums. Some PIP states require that companies offer PIP coverage, but you don’t have to buy it. For example, Texas car insurance requirements state a company has to offer you $2,500 worth of PIP coverage.

Regardless of your state requirements, you can always purchase more coverage. You should always buy only the coverage you need – while a higher PIP limit offers better protection, it also costs more.

States That Require Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Insurance

To see how much insurance is required in your state, check the table below.

Liability Car Insurance Minimum Requirements by State

PIP insurance is not always required, but it’s important to get the right amount if it is. For example, both New Jersey and Pennsylvania require PIP insurance before you can legally drive. However, New Jersey car insurance requirements include $15,000 worth of PIP coverage, while Pennsylvania car insurance requirements only require $5,000.

How to Find Affordable Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Insurance

Finding affordable PIP car insurance works the same as any other type of insurance. The simplest way is to compare quotes with multiple car insurance companies.

All major car insurance companies will offer PIP coverage if you live in a PIP state. Going with the first company you look at will likely mean you’ll overpay for your coverage. Even if you want to add PIP insurance to an existing policy, you should still compare quotes.

Monthly PIP Insurance Rates by State

PIP insurance requirements can have a significant impact on your rates. To see how much PIP insurance rates average in your state, check the table below.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Car Insurance Monthly Rates by State & Coverage Level

You might notice that PIP insurance can be very cheap in many states, especially if you pick the minimum amount. No matter where you live, however, you should always compare PIP quotes with multiple companies. It’s the only way to guarantee you find the lowest prices.